Abstract
This trial tested the use of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) on pikeperch (Sander lucioperca) larvae during their first feeding. The trial included the use of two probiotic treatments and one control (no probiotics). Pikeperch larvae were exposed to LAB as follows: (1) the live feed (Treatment 1, live feed) or (2) via the live feed and the larval rearing water (Treatment 2, probiotic). Significant differences were found between the treatments in terms of total length (TL), myomere height (MH), overall survival, and the tolerance to a high salinity challenge. Larvae exposed to LAB via both the live feed and the rearing water had a significantly higher overall survival rate (85%) than the other two treatments at 21 dph. When both treatments were subjected to high salinity rates (18 parts per thousand (ppt)), both treatments exposed to LAB demonstrated higher survival rates than the control treatment (28% and 40% survival rate at 180 min for the live feed and probiotic treatments, respectively, as compared with a 100% mortality rate at 150 min for the control). At the same time, larvae exposed to the probiotic treatment had a significantly higher TL as compared to the control after 12 and 21 days post hatch (dph) (probiotic 7.13 ± 0.21 and 11.71 ± 1.1 mm, control 5.86 and 10.79 mm at 12 and 21 dph, respectively). The results suggest that the use of LAB in both the live feed and the rearing water has a positive effect on pikeperch larval quality by strengthening their resilience to stress conditions, as well as improving the growth and survival rates.
Highlights
Pikeperch (Sander lucioperca), a fresh and brackish water fish belonging to the Percidae family, is in high demand by recreational anglers and the gastronomic industry [1,2]
Larviculture development in recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) are encountering several obstacles such as low stress resistance, nutritional deficiencies, and cannibalism which result in low survival rates during the larval stage [3]
Rotifers were introduced to first feeding of pikeperch larvae with successful results [4,5,6]
Summary
Pikeperch (Sander lucioperca), a fresh and brackish water fish belonging to the Percidae family, is in high demand by recreational anglers and the gastronomic industry [1,2]. Because of the high demand, pikeperch is currently one of the targeted species included in the European Union’s plans to diversify the inland freshwater aquaculture. In order to supply the larvae with adequate nutrition, live feed is required. Rotifers have the ability to absorb and retain the nutritional composition of any given diet that it is exposed, a quality that supplies pikeperch larvae with an adequate prey size and optimal nutrition [7]. These nutrients include highly polyunsaturated fatty acids that are essential for the survival of pikeperch [8,9,10]. The use of live feeds during a first feeding introduces pathogenic bacteria into the closed system [11]
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